Hi °C | Lo °C Ballymena United boss Glenn Ferguson could recall Jamie Davidson to the starting line-up for today’s visit of Glenavon in a bid to bolster the Braidmen’s home form.
Davidson was sprung from the bench in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over H&W Welders in the IRN-BRU League Cup and had a hand in all three goals.
The 19-year-old winger announced himself on the opening day of the season with a brace, which shot down Linfield at the Showgrounds, but since then has been in and out of the team.
That has been a deliberate ploy by Ferguson, as he aims to get the best out of the talented starlet.
“Jamie is a youngster and you just aren’t going to get that level of consistency with youngsters,” said Ferguson.
“In those situations sometimes you have to take the player out of the team for a while, give them a rest, let them get the hunger back and give them their chance again.
“Jamie certainly did well when he came on and he made that impact we were looking for.”
United haven’t tasted a league victory at the Showgrounds since the end of August and that, along with drawing more than half of their games to date, is something Ferguson is keen to rectify.
“Six draws in the league so far does speak for itself,” he said.
“It says that we’re defending well and doing that side of the game, but we’re lacking in killing teams off. In saying that, those six draws would probably have been three draws and three defeats last season, so we still feel there is a progression.”
Having, so far, progressed to the last eight of the League Cup and last four of the County Antrim Shield United’s cup pedigree is growing this season.
Ferguson added: “The coaching staff here have all been in cup finals and I don’t think too many of our players have sampled that. We’re keen to give the players cup final experience.”
